COPPÉLIA AT THE ANIMATRONIC PIZZA ARCADE

Book and Lyrics by Kit Goldstein Grant

Music by Lucas Hal-Jones

A short musical, inspired by the ballet Coppélia, libretto by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter

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Small - Medium Cast: 2m, 1f - Expanded Cast Optional
Running Time: 45 minutes

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Coppélia at the Animatronic Pizza Arcade is an adaptation of the 19th-century French ballet Coppélia, set in a 1985 Chuck E. Cheese-style‬‭ animatronic pizza arcade, Charlie Cheddar’s.

Hilda and Franz are tweens who have been‬‭ friends since childhood. It is Franz’s 12th birthday today, and he’s having a party at Charlie‬‭ Cheddar’s - and the only person who showed up is Hilda.‬‭

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A lovely ballet dancer, Coppélia, performs as a human guest star in the animatronic show.  Franz declares her the “perfect girl, and instantly falls in love with her. He asks Hilda to be a pal and approach Coppélia for him.  Hilda goes backstage and discovers that‬‭ Coppélia is, in fact, actually an animatronic as well. Shocker!‬

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Hilda comes back to tell Franz, and discovers that the person disguised as pizza rat Charlie Cheddar‬‭ is actually ballet-enthusiast and mad scientist Dr. Coppélius! He’s drugged Franz and is about to steal Franz’s soul - using a‬ complicated soul-stealing machine - in order to bring Coppélia to life!‬

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Hilda must use her wits to save Franz - and herself - while sorting out what it means to be the “perfect” girl.

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This short musical is fast-paced and fun, while dealing with larger themes of discovering and maintaining your own true identity.